Tag Archives: Scott Hassler

Dressage, USEF

Hassler Steps Down as USEF Young Horse Dressage Coach

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Lexington, Ky. – Scott Hassler who has served as the USEF Young Horse Dressage Coach since 2006 has announced he will be stepping down from the position on May 1, 2015 in order to spend more time with his family and focus on his competitive career.

“It has truly been an honor to serve in this capacity, as I have so much passion and belief in the value of this program and its long-term impact on our sport. We have provided an exciting goal with ranking lists and national championships that many aspire to achieve and we have established a better connection with our breeders. I’m particularly proud to see the numbers of young horses that are successfully feeding the High Performance pipeline,” said Hassler. “I will always remain supportive and passionate about all the USEF pipeline programs and now look forward to spending more time with family, training and competing.”

As the USEF Young Horse Dressage Coach, Hassler has been instrumental in the growth and success of the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program and has coached multiple U.S. combinations at the FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses.

“We thank Scott for all his hard work and the vision he has brought to the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors,” said Jenny Van Wieren-Page, USEF Managing Director of Dressage.

Details regarding the process to name the next USEF Young Horse Dressage Coach will be available shortly at usef.org.

Dressage, Training/Clinics

Talented US Hopefuls Gain Valuable Knowledge at USEF/USET Foundation Dressage Pipeline Clinic

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Lindsey Brewin and Vaillant in the Youth Section with Robert Dover. Photo By: Carrie Wirth.

Gladstone, NJ – October 14, 2014 – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation held the second Dressage Pipeline Clinic, one of a series of events aimed at pairing the country’s top dressage educators with talented future prospects for international competition.

USEF Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor, Robert Dover, USEF Developing Coach, Debbie McDonald, and USEF Developing Horse Coach, Scott Hassler, came together at Linda and Michael Fowler’s Epona Farm in Thousand Oaks, California, on Oct. 11-12 to help showcase, develop and mentor top horses and athletes. The clinic was made possible by USET Foundation trustee Betsy Juliano and Havensafe Farm.

“Because Michael has put up his ranch as a training base for the USET Foundation, we had already had Robert and Debbie come a couple of times,” said Button Baker, who helped plan for the success of the clinic. “So when the pipeline clinic came around, we asked, ‘Can we run it?’ and Michael said ‘yes’.”

“The clinic provides encouragement on all levels – young horses and young riders – and brings people in to get into the spirit of what the sport is all about,” said Fowler. “A perfect outcome of events like these would be more interest in dressage – more people supporting it and raising the standard and the quality. We’re just happy to host the event.”

The participating athletes received individual lessons on their horses and took part in educational sessions focused on fitness and sports psychology as well as how to manage relations with owners, sponsors and the media.

“The two pipeline clinics that the USEF and the USET Foundation have put on so far have caused a great deal of excitement in the community and a feeling of progress toward our shared goal- not just excellence but medal winning,” said Dover. “I am hopeful that we see that everyone is taking part, and riders, horses and auditors go home feeling like they’ve gained something. I hope they will have an ‘ah-ha’ moment that will change their life.”

Ashlyn De Groot, from DG Bar Ranch in Hanford, California, was selected for the clinic and brought her 6-year-old mare, Dalina DG, a Dutch Warmblood mare by Jazz.

“It’s such an honor to be here,” De Groot said. “This is the first time that Scott [Hassler] has had a one-on-one with me. He’s helped me a little bit at horse shows just watching me and giving me pointers. I thank Scott for the support and helping me grow with young horses, as well as pushing me to be better, to really give me confidence.”

Carly Taylor-Smith from Malibu, California and her 4-year-old Rosalut NHF, a dark bay Oldenburg gelding by Rosenthal, were also selected. Taylor-Smith rode “Ludo” to championship honors in the Four-Year-Old division at the USEF/Markel Young Horse Championships.

“It’s a privilege,” said Taylor-Smith. “I’ve never been to something like this before. It’s an honor. I like that we’re covering some of the other aspects as well, like nutrition. And everyone working as a package – it is really great.”

On Saturday evening a reception and dinner included a presentation on working with the media, given by Mason Phelps Jr. and Carrie Wirth of Phelps Media Group, as well as a presentation by Juliano.

Juliano shared the unique opportunity for the sport of dressage in the U.S. and stressed the importance of the team concept and applying the use of strategy by working with USEF and the USET Foundation for forward progress.

The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (www.uset.org) is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America’s elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.

The USET Foundation has been awarded Charity Navigators highest honor, a Four Star rating for good governance, sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency.

Contact: Rebecca Walton
USET Foundation
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
rjw@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Dressage, Training/Clinics

Second Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Training Session of 2013 Wraps Up at Oak Hill Ranch

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Kim Gentry and Leonardo (Photo by Oak Hill Ranch)

Lexington, KY – The second Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Training Session of 2013 wrapped up Sunday at Oak Hill Ranch in Folsom, Louisiana.  The picturesque ranch is a leader in U.S. sport horse breeding and provided a great environment for educating the area’s up-and-coming young horses and their riders. The open training session was led by USEF Young Horse Coach Scott Hassler.

“This is the first time we have held a training session in this area and it was great to see the quality of horses that participated. Many of the combinations showed true potential for the FEI levels,” Hassler commented. “Additionally, it was a terrific honor to conduct the session at Oak Hill Ranch; we are very grateful to the Freeman’s for generously hosting us.”

The open training session was attended by breeders, horse owners and local young horse enthusiasts. In addition to two days of mounted lessons, Hassler led an afternoon discussion that focused on the development of young horses and potential for growth in the area.

This session was the first time a training or observation session has been comprised entirely of U.S. bred horses.

Participants in this second training session included:

Rider/Horse (breeding)/Age/Owner/Breeder
David Banister/September Song (Sinatra Song x Warkant/Verther)/4/Linda Holste/Linda Holste
Kalie Beckers/Bienvenu ZSH (Sir Sinclair x Eleanora/Notorious)/7/Gerlinde Beckers/Terri Chaubaud & Zydeco Sportshorses
Erica-West Danque/Flovina (Flovino x Latitiae/Laurentianer)/6/Catherine Valentine/Catherine Valentine
Erica-West Danque/Chancellor WAS (Cathalido x Jemez/Columbus)/6/Erica-West Danque/Walkabout Station
Kim Gentry/Leonardo (Landtinus x Rambala/Rambo)/6/Kim Gentry/Oak Hill Ranch
Andrea Hart/Winterfair (Winterprinz x Meriah/Erzsand)/5/Andrea Hart/Anna Whitfield Watkins
Regina Milliken/Romulus (Blue Hors Hotling x Roma/Blue Hors Romancier)/4/Oak Hill Ranch/Oak Hill Ranch
Faith Morris/Ramsey (Blue Hors Don Romantic x Rambala/Rambo)/4/Faith Morris/Oak Hill Ranch

Kim Gentry, who participated in the first open training session, held in Alpharetta, Georgia, February 2-3, commented, “It was really beneficial to work with Scott again within such a short time frame. He was able to evaluate our progress and follow up on the work that we did in Atlanta. Scott provided clear and concise feedback and effective coaching in a supportive and positive manner.” Gentry continued, “The sessions have helped me gauge where my training is as I prepare Leonardo for the show season. Also, they gave me insight into how he will handle the requirements of the six-year-old test in an environment away from home, but without the actual stress of a show. Richard Freeman and his Oak Hill team ran a superb training session and made the weekend very educational and a lot of fun. I was proud to be riding a horse bred by Oak Hill and have the people who were there when Leonardo was born see what a lovely horse he is developing into.”

The next Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program events will be open training sessions in Georgetown, Massachusetts, April 13-14 and in Lockport, Illinois, April 27-28. Further information on the program can be found here.

For more information about the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program please contact Hallye Griffin by email at hgriffin@usef.org or by phone (859) 225-6918.

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Training/Clinics

Observation Sessions Wrap Up for the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program

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Sigrid Wolff and Kodaly, owned by Alex Holland (Cavallis)

Lexington, KY – Two observation sessions for the 2013 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program have taken place in Wellington, FL February 13-14 and Burbank, CA February 22-23. Between the two sessions, USEF Young Horse Coach Scott Hassler has been able to observe close to 40 young horses. The majority of riders attended the sessions with their personal trainers, allowing them to develop plans for their horses with the help of Hassler. He has seen great improvements in horse quality and an exciting number of promising combinations.

“We had terrific participation,” said Hassler. “2013 looks like a very exciting year with high quality young horses. Several of the combinations have potential to be future international competitors and I am really excited to watch them develop through our pipeline of trainers and programs.”

The goal of these observation sessions is to seek out up-and-coming talented young horses and provide guidance for riders, trainers, and owners. The Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program also includes open training sessions which are conducted in a clinic format and not only focus on the education of young horses but also on the education of those attending the training sessions as auditors. There will be three upcoming training sessions: March 2-3 at Oak Hill Ranch in Folsom, LA, April 13-14 at Rosebrook Farm in Georgetown, MA, and April 27-28 at Oak Hill Farm in Lockport, IL.

For more information on the 2013 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program or if you are interested in auditing the training sessions, click here or contact Hallye Griffin by email at hgriffin@usef.org or by phone (859) 225-6918.

Dressage, Training/Clinics, USEF

Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Training Session Wraps Up after Two Informative Days

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Scott Hassler helps Sandie Gaines-Beddard and Flairance (Chris Hutchings)

Lexington, KY – The first Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Training Session of 2013 wrapped up Sunday at Shannondale Farm in Alpharetta, Georgia. A diverse group of young dressage horses, representing a multitude of breeds and varied levels of experience, were selected for the training session with USEF Young Horse Dressage Coach Scott Hassler.

Hassler commented, “We had another very successful training session in this area. It is always encouraging to see the number of interested breeders, owners and young horse trainers who choose to audit these sessions. It provides the setting to have great discussions. With eight out of the 10 horses bred in the USA, I hope to see quite a few of these horses in the FEI ring in the future.”

The open training session was well attended by breeders, sponsors, horse owners and local young horse enthusiasts. Hassler led a discussion in the evening using video footage from the Bundeschampionate (National Young Horse Championships in Germany) and the FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses.

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Dressage, Training/Clinics, USEF

USEF Accepting Letters of Interest to Host 2013 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Training Sessions

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Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is now accepting letters of interest to host the 2013 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Training Sessions. Up to six Training Sessions with USEF Young Horse Coach Scott Hassler will be scheduled throughout 2013. These Training Sessions will once again be held over two days and provide a unique opportunity for riders, trainers, owners and breeders to openly share and discuss the education and training of young dressage horses. Each Training Session will accept ten horse/rider combinations.

The locations of the 2013 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Training Sessions will be announced by December 1, 2012. Auditing information and applications for horse/rider combinations will be available at that time on the USEF website.

If you are interested in hosting a 2013 Markel/USEF Young Horse Training Session, please send your letter of interest to Hallye Griffin, USEF Director of Dressage, National Programs (hgriffin@usef.org) by close of business Friday, October 26, 2012. If you have questions regarding the hosting or participation in the training sessions, please also contact Hallye Griffin (859 225 6918 or hgriffin@usef.org).

Dressage, Training/Clinics, USEF

Talented Young Horses Participate in Final Markel/USEF Young Horse Training Session

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Bobbi Carlton riding the six-year-old Kir Royal (USEF Archive)

Lexington, KY – Finishing up the Markel/USEF Young Horse training and observation sessions for 2012, Rosebrook Farm in Georgetown, MA hosted the final scheduled session of the year on June 28-29. Scott Hassler, the USEF Young Horse Coach, once again led the session in the eastern region with a wealth of successful young horses.

“I was particularly excited to come to this area of the country because it is such a strong, active region. There is also a tremendous amount of enthusiasm towards Young Horses with a great mixture of breeders, riders, and enthusiasts. I really enjoyed being able to show the basics with the four-year-olds but then work on more advanced collection work with the six-year-olds. This was also great for the auditors to see,” said Hassler. “As we approach the time of the year for the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships, it is really a pleasure to see how the horses are maturing and I think we will have a terrific Championship next month.”

Eleven riders participated in the two-day session, presenting 11 horses that included two four-year-olds, five five-year-olds, and four six-year-olds. Hassler worked individually with each combination, developing enhanced training practices and fine-tuning movements. In addition, an evening lecture and open discussion with Hassler was held for both the riders and auditors.

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Dressage, Training/Clinics, USEF

Another Successful Markel/USEF Young Horse Training Session Takes Place in Texas

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Scott Hassler with Kalie Beckers and Bienvenu ZSH. (Photo provided by USEF Archives)

Lexington, KY – Continuing the Markel/USEF Young Horse training and observation session program, Twinwood Equestrian Center in Simonton, TX hosted the fourth session of 2012, April 14-15. Led by USEF Young Horse Coach Scott Hassler, this was the first time a session has been hosted in Texas, an area that has proven to produce a wealth of successful young horses.

“Texas and the surrounding area have consistently had high participation in the Markel/USEF Young Horse Program and the Markel/USEF Young Horse National Championships,” said Hassler. “The Young Horse program here continually proves its quality as the group of horses here is of diverse breed and largely dominated by U.S. bred horses. From this training session, I was very impressed with the quality of horses and riders and quite certain that we’ll see some of them at the Championships in August.”

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Dressage, Training/Clinics, USEF

Young Horses and Riders Benefit from Successful Markel/USEF Young Horse Observation Sessions

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Scott Hassler evaluates a young athlete/horse combination in San Juan Capistrano (Sigrid Wolff/Cavallis)

Lexington, KY – The Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program wrapped up March with the second of two Observation Sessions held in 2012.  Taking place March 3-4 in Loxahatchee, FL, the first session ran prior to the Palm Beach Dressage Derby. The second session was held March 28-29 in San Juan Capistrano, CA, prior to the Festival of the Horse. These two-day Observation Sessions allow USEF Young Horse Dressage Coach Scott Hassler the opportunity to evaluate athlete/horse combinations as they work. He then discusses the horse’s status, training and goals for participation within the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program with the rider and/or owner.

At the first session, Hassler saw a group of 10 talented young horses including three four-year-olds, four five-year-olds and three six-year-olds. In the second Session, Hassler evaluated eight riders who presented 10 horses including four five-year-olds and six six-year-olds. The majority of these horses are currently qualifying to earn a spot in the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Championships, August 24-26, 2012 in Wayne, IL.

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Dressage, Events, Training/Clinics, USEF

Dressage Young Horse Training and Observation Sessions Announced for 2012

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The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the dates and locations of two Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Training Sessions for 2012. The open training sessions will be a unique opportunity for up and coming talent to have one-on-one sessions with USEF Young Horse Coach, Scott Hassler. The two-day event will include a 45-minute lesson each day with Scott Hassler as well as an evening lecture and discussion for the riders led by Scott. He explains, “I’m really excited about the decision to schedule the open Young Horse Training sessions. They will provide an opportunity for people to better understand the Markel/USEF Young Horse program as well as the correct development required for young horses to advance in the training scale towards the FEI levels.”

The first Young Horse Training Session will be held February 18-19 at Shannondale Farm in Milton, Georgia. Applications for this training session are due January 31st. Another Training Session will be held April 14-15 at Twinwood Equestrian Center in Simontown, Texas. Applications for this training session are due March 30th.

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